I've done research for a "Paleolithic" Mod, so might have some insight into this..
Friends, your timelines are far too conservative. One early permanent human settlement,
made of rocks and Mammoth bones, dates to 25,000 years ago. One of the oldest known ceramic figures, the
Dolni Vestonice, dates to 29,000 years ago, and the earliest use of clay ovens dates to 32,000 years ago. Fitted clothing, made with stone needles, dates to 30,000 years ago. The earliest known cave paintings, made by Cro-magnon men, date to 40,000 years ago, but drawn animal figures were ancient by then, the earliest example dating to 60,000 years ago. The earliest example of compound glue (plant gum & red ochre) dates to 71,000 years ago, and the earliest hide clothing that we've found dates to 77,000 years ago. Neanderthals made plaques and pendents and buried their dead 100,000 years ago. The first known trade over long distances (in precious stones) is dated to 130,000 years ago, and the first shell jewelry to 135,000 years ago. The earliest known symbols and crayons (!) date to 250,000 years ago. The earliest known cooking hearth to 800,000 years ago. The earliest known use of fire dates to 1.5 Million years ago, and the earliest hand axes and symbolic behavior to 1.6 million, the earliest stone tools to 2.5 Million years ago, and the oldest pebble tools (at Gona, Ethiopia) to 2.7 Million years ago. The earliest bipedal humans (Sahelanthropus) walked the earth 6 million years ago.
Because at any point in this six million year old story some human might have written symbols on clay, or paved a european valley, scientists and archaeologists have concentrated on Cultures (i.e. technological advancements spread across wide areas and different sites) to define the advancement of civilization. These have been pegged, in the paleolithic age, mostly to advancements in Stone toolmaking, hence, it is known as "The Stone Age". These eras are known as: The Olowan Industry period -
earliest fashioned stone tools (2.5 - 1.7 million years ago); the
Acheulean Industry -
bi-faced tools (1.7 mya);
Clactonian Industry -
thrusting spears, notched tools (from 400kya);
Mousterian Industry -
flint tools (from 300kya); Sangoan Industry -
picks, woodworking tools (from 100kya);
Aterian Industry -
leaf-shaped tools (from 82kya); Gravettian Culture -
harpoons, needles, and saws (28k-22k);
Jomon Culture, Japan -
clay pottery (14.5 kya); and the
Natufian Culture -
1st use of wild cereals (13kya).
The Neolithic Age ends the "Stone age" 10,000 years ago with the first cultivation of Wheat and Barley, using "
founder crops", and the earliest smelting of lead 6.5kya. The first Walled city, Jericho, is founded 8,000 years ago. The Neolithic Revolution begins 5.5kya with the first irrigated crop fields. At 4.5 thousand years ago, the first actual writing is used, and it is at that point that the "Civilization" game begins.
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